According to Mazzetti, the CIA, created as a Cold War espionage service, is now more than ever a paramilitary agency ordered by the White House to kill off the nation's enemies: from the sustained bombing campaign in the mountains of Pakistan and the deserts of Yemen and North Africa to the simmering clan wars in Somalia. For its part, the Pentagon has turned into the CIA, dramatically expanding spying missions in the dark spaces of U.S. foreign policy, like Iran. Mazzetti will share what he has learned by following and reporting on these secret wars over the past decade, including tracking key characters from the intelligence and military communities across the world.

Commonwealth Club

The leading national forum open to all for the impartial discussion of public issues important to the membership, community and nation. The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. Each year, we bring nearly 500 events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy to more than 25,000 members and the public, both in-person and via an extensive online and on-air listenership and viewership.